Study: 1 in 5 Americans Have Tried an Open Relationship
18% of Americans have been in an open relationship according to a new study from dating platform OpenRelationship. 62% of those who have tried an open relationship say that the experience was positive overall.
Dating site OpenRelationship has published the results of a survey where they spoke to over 1,000 Americans about non-monogamy. They found that 9% of Gen Z have tried an open relationship, while around 20% of Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers have experimented with this relationship type, respectively.
Despite having the least experience with open relationships, the survey found that Gen Z are the most accepting of them. Baby Boomers were found to be the least accepting of these non-monogamous relationships.
The average age of respondents’ first open relationship was 28 years old, with 60% of those who’ve tried an open relationship saying that they’ve only experienced it once. Dating apps were the second most popular way that respondents found their additional partners in an open relationship, with meeting through social groups holding top spot in this regard.
Open relationships are not without their issues however, with 84% saying that jealousy is a primary concern. Other challenges include trust issues, lack of emotional commitment, and communication issues. Beyond that, 82% of Americans do not believe that society is accepting of open relationships, with around 1 in 5 saying that they would feel comfortable telling their friends they are trying this form of non-monogamy.
However, respondents identified that open relationships can lead to an improvement in mental health, as well as contribute towards personal growth and self-discovery.
